REVIEW
TETCOTT
LIFTON
SUNDAY 9 MAY 2004
by Lee Glanville

The ladies' open race was the highlight of the card at the Tetcott pont to point at Jays Farm, Lifton on Sunday. And victory went to North Cornwall qualified Sally Messer-Bennetts' grand campaigner Itsnotsimple who has been in great form this season. Sally's daughter Tamsin Trickey was on board and stayed in front on the last circuit to see off the challenge of Breteche (Tanya Newman) and Defendtherealm (Alice Mills)who were hard on her heels.

Mary McCarthy notched up her fifth win of the season on board her own Lingering Fog in the novice riders race. Favourite Scarlet Glory was pulled up after a circuit never jumping fluently on the firmish ground and was adrift in the rear. Biggest challenge was set up by Mark Dennis on his father Walter's Milla's Man but was four lengths second at the line.

The men's open was a two runner match between Damiens Pride and Midnight Coup. Ashley Farrant had notched up two wins the previous day at Holnicote in Minehead but although the pair were upsides throughout, Farrant always looked as if he was going second best. Damiens Pride, another 14 year old veteran, was notching up his second win of the season under Tim Dennis.

With his last run at a rain sodden Cheltenham hunter chase evening, John and Ken Heard's Bill Me Up skipped around in the much drier conditions to win the confined hunts race against just three opponents with Liam Heard in the plate. Farrant again had to settle for second place on the Prouse's Shobrooke Mill.

There was another Cornish winner in the three runner restricted which had the field bunched tightly throughout. Lucinda Tylor's Menantol drew clear of Jane Walter's Carling Elect over the last two fences to win by sixth lengths. Carling Elect's usual pilot Lyn Hawkings was there to watch on crutches after breaking her ankle at Axe Vale. Jo Buck, who is standing in for her at work at Alan Walter's Milverton yard, was also stand in jockey.

Rings of Power (Nick Mitchell) was compensated for a fall last time out when going like the winner, with victory in the closing members' race. Harnage (Caroline Prouse) launched a late challenge but could only get to within three lengths.

Results:

Confined: 1, Bill Me Up, L Heard; 2, Shobrooke Mill, A Farrant; 3, Moorland Rose, Miss S Young. Four ran, 12l, dist, 6.04.

Men's open: 1, Damiens Pride, T Dennis; 2, Midnight Coup, A Farrant. Two ran, 1l, 6.16.

Ladies open: 1, Itsnotsimple, Mrs T Trickey; 2, Breteche, Miss T Newman; 3, Defendtherealm, Miss A Mills. Six ran, 2l, 1l, 5.57.

Intermediate ( Nov Riders): 1, Lingering Fog, Miss M McCarthy; 2, Millas Man, M Dennis; 3, Silent Action, D Smith. Six ran, 4l, 15l, 6.07.

Restricted: 1, Menantol, Miss A De Lisle Wells; 2, Carling Elect, Miss J Buck; 3, The Real Murphy, W Rogers. Three ran, 6l, 18l, 6.14.

Maiden: Rings of Power, Nmitchell; 2, Harnage, Miss C Prouse; 3, Tarpon Tale, G Weatherley. 10 ran, 3l, 4l, 6.17.